OCTOBER 25, 2006
N
O R T H
C
A R O L I N A
C
UN
E N T R A L
I V E R S I T Y
VOLUME 98, ISSUE 4 919 530 7116/CAMPUSECHO@NCCU.EDU WWW.CAMPUSECHO.COM
1801 FAYETTEVILLE STREET DURHAM, NC 27707
Campus . . . . . . . . Beyond NCCU . . Elections . . . . . . . Homecoming . . Feature . . . . . . . . A&E . . . . . . . . . . . Sports. . . . . . . . . . Opinions . . . . . . .
1-4 6 Insert 11 12 13 15 16
Homecoming
Campus
Election Special
Feature
A letter from the SGA president, plus a calendar of activities
Read about NCCU’s HIV Rapid Testing Event, Thursday, Oct. 26
Will the Democratic Party take Congress or stay Republican? Your vote will decide
Urban Ministries in downtown Durham feeds hundreds daily
Page 11
Page 4
Insert Inside
Page 12
Campus Echo Obama may run The first-term Illinois Senator opened the possibility of a 2006 presidential run on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” saying that he’ll wait until after the Nov. 7 elections to make any announcement. BY DAN BALZ THE WASHINGTON POST
WASHINGTON — Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., opened the door to a 2008 presidential campaign Sunday, saying he has begun to weigh a possible candidacy and will make a decision after the November elections. “Given the responses that I’ve been getting over the last
several months, I have thought about the possibility, but I have not thought about it with the seriousness and depth that I think is required,’’ Obama said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.’’ “After November 7th, I’ll sit down and consider it, and if at some point I change my mind, I will make a public announcement and everybody will be able to go at me.’’
Until Sunday, Obama, one of the brightest stars in the party since electrifying the 2004 Democratic National Convention with his keynote address, had said he planned to serve out the full six years of his Senate term, which would have ruled out a presidential or vice presidential campaign in 2008. But Democrats around the country have encour-
aged him to consider a campaign and there has been fevered speculation inside the party about the possibility that he will do so. His advisers have been forced to adjust timetables for a possible run in later elections and have begun to do the research that will help Obama make his decision.
Barack Obama addresses a press conference as Senate Democratic and Republican leaders discuss a compromise immigration bill April 6, 2006 in Washington, D.C. OLIVIER DOULIERY/Abaca Press/KRT
n See OBAMA Page 6
CBS shows weak case
Living life with lupus
2nd dancer changes story
Two students tell their story
BY RONY CAMILLE ECHO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
It’s been more than seven months after the alleged rape of a 27-year-old N.C. Central University female student by members of the Duke University lacrosse team, but the national media attention continues. “60 Minutes,” a CBS News program, aired a segment about the case Oct. 15. In the segment three lacrosse team members charged with rape asserted their innocence. The segment also aired video obtained by CBS News of the alleged victim dancing at a strip club nearly two weeks after she reported the incident to Durham authorities. The accuser was hired with another woman to dance at a party March 13 at a house owned by Duke University and rented by captains of the lacrosse team. Kim Roberts, the other dancer at the house on the night of the alleged rape, gave CBS a contradictory account of the events of the evening. Roberts, in her first account to police said the allegations were “a crock.” She later said that something probably happened that night. In the CBS segment she returned to her original skepticism about the
n See LACROSSE Page 3
BY CANDICE MITCHELL ECHO STAFF WRITER
Sister Souljah signs her books, “The Coldest Winter Ever,” and “No Disrespect” in the L.T. Walker Complex. KHARI JACKSON/Staff Photographer
AN ARMY OF ONE Sister Souljah uses words to battle oppression BY GEOFFREY COOPER ECHO STAFF WRITER
Like a general delivering orders to her troops and then leading them into battle, Sister Souljah marched into N.C. Central University’s LeRoy T. Walker Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 24, to deliver an arsenal of encouraging words and positive groundbreaking life lessons. The delivery of her message came off to some students and faculty as very offensive, but well
needed. “I curse because I want to,” said Sister Souljah. “I am a truthful person with a solid purpose. When I talk about things that I am very passionate about, I have no reason to hide my feelings.” She discussed issues such as black brotherhood and sisterhood, relationships, self-worth, and self-tests of morality, spirituality and mentality. “It was a speech that everyone on campus should’ve been required to hear,” said business
sophomore Corderro Jenkins. “Sometimes you have to come off a certain way to get the crowd’s attention. It definitely got mine.” Born in 1964, Lisa Williamson a.k.a. Sister Souljah, 42, was raised in the dilapidated borough of Bronx, New York. She grew up fighting her way through racial injustice and economic disparities that threaten blacks and what she encountered on a daily basis.
Imagine a good day: you feel rested. You have the energy to run to class and stay out late with friends. Imagine a bad day: your joints hurt so much it’s hard to get out of bed. You can’t keep your eyes open in class because of fatigue. You can’t stay outside because the sun will irritate your skin. Now imagine that you have a disease most people have never even heard of, a disease in which your body’s immune system is attacking your own body’s cells and tissues, and that there’s no cure. That’s the situation that nursing junior Faith Smith and elementary education sophomore ViAngela Roach live with every day. Smith and Roach both have a chronic, autoimmune disease called systemic lupus erythematous. It’s commonly referred to simply as lupus. The disease principally affects the joints and the skin, but it also can damage other systems of the body like the kidneys. Lupus is not infectious. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, about 1.5 million Americans suffer from the disease. It is two to three times
n See LUPUS Page 3
n See SOULJAH Page 2
NCCU boxers a hit on YouTube BY QUENTIN GARDNER ECHO STAFF WRITER
“Fight Nights 3, Round 2” as seen on YouTube. NCCU math and computer science junior Tory Galer (left) boxes with an unidentified pugilist.
Students at N.C. Central University are becoming familiar with the latest online hangout — and it’s anywhere there’s a computer terminal to access YouTube.com. And some are putting their own videos on the popular free video-sharing website that lets users upload, view and share video clips. YouTube.com was created
by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim of PayPal, a California-based e-commerce business. According to a July survey, YouTube surpassed Myspace.com as the 10th most popular website with over 100 million video clips viewed daily. Approximately 65,000 new videos are uploaded daily. Computer science juniors Tory Galer and Ryan Wren have placed boxing videos of themselves on YouTube.
“We were bored and frustrated, so we bought two pairs of gloves as a solution to our boredom,” said Wren. The video clips show Wren, Galer and other friends sparring in the kitchen of their Eagle Landing apartment. Last semester, no complaints of noise were filed by any resident assistant or Campus Police, despite these fights
n See Y0UTUBE Page 2
ViAngela Roach prepares to take her daily medication. Roach, 19, was diagnosed with lupus in 2004. MORINE ETIENNE/Staff Photographer
Campus
2 N
O R T H
C
C
A R O L I N A
E N TR A L
UN
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
IVERSITY
SOULJAH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
I know some of ya’ll might be mad to the point where it made you grit, but at least you’ll be thinking about me. SISTER SOULJAH
Profs help area schools Science study waning in U.S. BY TRAVIS RUFFIN
AUTHOR AND LECTURER
ECHO STAFF WRITER
As an activist, her platform lies in the areas of police brutality, racially motivated crimes, and the mis-education of urban youth. Sister Souljah also stated that we should not use our environment as an excuse, but as a footstool. “If you coming from the hood, many people have the perception that all your future is going to amount to is being a rapper or putting a ball through a hoop,” said Sister Souljah. “I’m here to say that we are more than that and we should require more than that in ourselves as black people.” After receiving several scholarships and internships, Sister Souljah earned her bachelors degree in American History and African Studies at Rutgers University. While she discussed her many travels, she stated that her visit to Africa was the most influential to her ideology and gave her a notion of what her true mission in life was. “How can anyone call themselves educated if they have no knowledge of the
birthplace of life?” said Sister Souljah. As an author, she has written two books. Her first was her autobiography, “No Disrepect,” which debuted in 1995, and followed up with her 1999 New York Times best selling novel, “The Coldest Winter Ever.” She said that there will be a follow up to “The Coldest Winter Ever” in 2007, but the exact release date is yet unknown. She is the executive director of Daddy’s House, a non-profit organization created by Bad Boy Records CEO, Sean “PDiddy” Combs. This program provides mentoring, tutoring, and educational opportunities for over 600 inner city youth, ages 6-16, in the neighborhoods of New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey. Sister Souljah said that her experience at NCCU has been rewarding. “I know some of ya’ll might be mad to the point where it made you grit, but at least you’ll be thinking about me,” said Sister Souljah.
At the beginning of this semester, N.C. Central University came to the rescue of Southern High School by sending over a dozen professors to help remedy a science and math teacher shortage. NCCU compensated the professors for their time, and the students they taught will receive both high school and college credit for classes completed. As reported in the News & Observer, the University won accolades from the federal government. “It is a great way for us to recruit future Eagles,” said Provost Beverly Jones. The science and math teacher shortage reflects a larger crisis in American society — there are not enough students interested in studying science and math. “In this country, many high school students think that it’s better to become a rapper or an actor because those jobs are far more glamorous and exciting than
Sister Souljah stresses a point from her lecture at her book signing.
having a career in the science and math field,” said Lashonda Bailey, a junior at Southern High School. According to the Program for International Student Assessment, the U.S. ranked 24th out of 29 countries in the ability of high school students to solve real-life math problems. “The kids in countries like China and Japan are way ahead of us in science and math because their culture is vastly different from ours,” said James Shoaf, a math professor at NCCU. “American teens, … instead of studying, many of them would rather watch television and play video games.” With declining American student interest in math and science, it seems fewer and fewer students become teachers. “I hate to say it, but some of our science and math teachers are just too boring,” Bailey said. “If they made their classes more fun, the students might actually pay attention and be more interested in those subjects.”
YOUTUBE
KHARI JACKSON/Staff Photographer
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Writing studio proves useful Student usage increases over past two years BY BRITNEY ROOKS ECHO STAFF WRITER
There is a room housed in the Farrison-Newton Communication Building that you may not have noticed — the N.C. Central University Writing Studio. Its purpose is to help students work on problems with their writing. The studio is supported by federal Title III funds and the Office of Graduate Studies. “The writing studio is a place for all stages of the writing process,” said Jenise Hutson, one of the five English graduate students working in the writing studio. Students are assisted with all aspects of the writing process at the studio — from brainstorming to outlining to forming a thesis statement. They also get help with those tricky grammar questions. According to Karen Keaton-Jackson, director
of the writing studio, a key element of the studio is that it gives students oneon-one training. “Sometimes the graduate students can reach other students in ways that teachers can’t,” said Jackson, an assistant professor in the Department of English and Mass Communication. Students agree. “Talking with the grad students made me feel more relaxed because I could relate,” said business sophomore John Osoro. As a freshman, Osoro was assigned a three-page essay entitled “Coming to America.” In his paper, he had to describe his experience of moving from Kenya to the United States. “I tended to get off topic,” said Osoro. “I had a really long introduction paragraph and my grammar was a problem too.” Osoro said the graduate
student who helped him said she wouldn’t write his paper for him, but would show him how to improve it. He said he thinks many students have problems with writing because they don’t start writing early enough. Ronica Watford,elementary education junior, said she has trouble elaborating the details of her story. “They really sit there and give you good helpful strategies,” said Watford. “It gave me more confidence. The writing studio is very helpful ... You’ll get at least a letter grade higher.” Jackson said one misconception students have is that they think they should go to the studio only after they have finished their paper. Others think they can just drop their paper off for corrections. Student usage of the writing studio has
increased in the last two years. In the 2004-2005 academic year, students made 200 appointments. Last year, there were more than 400 appointments, and 115 appointments have been made so far this year. Jackson says increased use is one measure of the writing studio’s success. “I’d like to have a bigger staff and more extensive hours,” she said. “That would make it more convenient for students to get help whenever they need it.” Jackson also hopes to get more computers and a bigger room. The writing studio is located in room 339 of the Farrison-Newton Communications Building. Hours of operation are from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon.Thurs. and 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Fridays. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred.
www.CampusEcho.com NC-ARC ~ North Carolina Access, Retention and Completion Initiative in the Allied Health Sciences BIOL 2030: Special Studies in Biology Section 101 (1 credit hour) (Title of NC-ARC course as listed on NCCU Course Schedule) NCCU students participate in teleconference broadcasts of the “Introduction to the Health Professions” course (AHSC-40) at UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty from the Department of Allied Health Sciences at UNCChapel Hill provide information about application and admission processes, academic requirements, and professional opportunities in the allied health sciences. NC-ARC partners ensure that dedicated students are admitted and complete a degree program of their choice in the allied health sciences.
We’re Here, and We Can Help. Pregnancy Support Services 3700 Lyckan Parkway, Suite D Durham, NC 27707 ~ (919) 490-0203 www.pregnancysupport.org
Allied Health Careers & Topics
• Clinical Laboratory Science • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Cytotechnology • Speech & Hearing • Recreational Therapy • Radiologic Science • Case Study Allied Health Science Students “Tell All” •
North Carolina Health Careers Access Program
For more information or to enroll in Biology 2030, contact Dr. Gail Hollowell at (919) 530-6403 or Dr. Charles McClinton at (919) 530-7128
Pregnancy tests First trimester ultra sound Testing for Gonorrhea & Chlamydia Ongoing peer support Referrals for community resources Maternity clothes Baby clothes &Layette items Parenting education Nursery Furnishings Post Abortion Recovery Relationship guidance Abstinence Education
All services FREE and CONFIDENTIAL
drawing large crowds. “Some of the clips are funny, but dangerous. Someone could’ve been seriously hurt,” said therapeutic recreation junior Arkevia Ardrey. Other students believe the clips should not be considered a publicity stunt. “I don’t have an opinion because it should be the students’ personal business to post stuff online,” said political science sophomore Marcus Price. “If I see these guys on campus, I won’t think of them any different or anything like that.” Administrators are intrigued by the different methods of technology, but are not pleased with clips such as the fights. “Students should really consider their futures before using these forms of technology” said Tia Marie Doxey, associate director of residential life. “Although students have a freedom to use this technology, that freedom also comes with responsibility”. According to Jennifer Wilder, director of residential life, the department of residential life did not manage the housing of Eagle Landing until July 1. “Students need to be careful of what sites they post things on because many companies perform thorough background checks,” said Doxey. The domain name “YouTube” was launched Feb. 15, 2005 and made its
official debut last November. The content on YouTube spans from movies, television clips and music videos and also includes amateur footage. Some students spend nearly 20 minutes a day on YouTube. “I enjoy the humor in most of the clips. YouTube is the online version of ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ without edited scenes,” said public administration junior Hewitt McLean. However, others can’t seem to get enough of YouTube. “YouTube is a fun way to explore home video footage and display it online,” said environmental science junior Ahmed Finoh. Common student searches on YouTube include sports, latest dance moves, fraternities or sororities, humor and fight clips. Students do not need a valid e-mail address to view clips, but they need to set up a profile to submit their clips YouTube contains a variety of clips of NCCU students, ranging from football plays to coverage of fights outside of Chidley Hall. YouTube sold their company on Oct. 9, to Google.com for $1.65 billion in stock, marking Google's largest purchase. However, YouTube continues to operate independently.
HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Earn up to $3,000 participating in pharmaceutical research of a medication. Healthy males and females age 18-55, taking no daily medication. Please visit our website to find out if you qualify or to obtain additional information. www.aaipharma.com Call 800 292 6188 & select option #2
Campus
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
N
OR T H
C
A R O L I N A
C
E N T R A L
UN
3 IVERSITY
Fighting cancer Professor’s awareness efforts target students BY SHELBIA BROWN ECHO STAFF WRITER
Reporter Candice Mitchell, who also has lupus, takes her supplements and medicines daily. MORINE ETIENNE/Staff Photographer
LUPUS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 more likely to strike people of color, and it is 10-15 times more likely to strike women. Despite the unpredictable nature of lupus, Smith and Roach are determined to live normal, enjoyable lives. Smith was diagnosed with lupus in November 1999 after being admitted to Wake Med hospital for dehydration. A kidney biopsy, a tool used in determining if a person has lupus nephritis, showed the disease had inflamed and scarred her kidneys. “Emotionally, I was terrified,” said Smith. “I never heard about lupus before.” Smith’s mother, Elouise Payton, described the news as “devastating,” but said that she is committed to helping her daughter navigate through life successfully. “I believe it can be managed with proper rest … and by being knowledgeable to take control of lupus flares,” said Payton. Smith said that managing lupus is difficult . “By being so active on campus, I don’t have the time I would have if I was in high school,” she said, adding that it’s easy to get distracted. Smith’s lupus was in remission when she was in high school, but that changed when she came to NCCU in fall 2005. She said being away from her family created stress, causing her lupus to flare up. “The best thing for me was to push myself and become physically active with proper rest and diet,” Smith said. Smith now works out 4-5 times a week and eats foods high in
potassium to prevent joint pain. A typical lupus sufferer has a medication regime that includes steroids, calcium and iron supplements and an ibuprofen-based anti-inflammatory. When she was in high school, ViAngela Roach led a very active — and sometimes stressful — life. “I ran cross-country track up to my junior year in high school,” said Roach. “It was work, track and school. I was home at eleven, just to be up at five the next morning.” Then one day her joints started aching. Shortly afterwards, she collapsed in her bedroom. She remembers her father lifting her into bed -- and then waking up in the hospital. “I was in a coma for three days,” said Roach. She said she remembers having a seizure and then waking up in the hospital. “I am blessed to be alive. I could have died.” Roach’s blood pressure had jumped and she had developed anemia, a pathological deficiency in the oxygen-carrying component of the blood. She was diagnosed with lupus in April 2004. Her mother, Dianna Roach, didn’t know what to think. “At first I was upset,” said Dianna Roach. “I didn’t know much about lupus. Dianna Roach said she’s determined to help ViAngela see it through. “She’ll always be mama’s baby, regardless,” said Dianna Roach. Like Smith, Roach takes a regimen of supplements and medicines. “I try to take it one day at a time,” said Roach, who is
Access Your Health Career Undecided about your major? Want to become a health professional? Want to attend health career seminars and workshops? Want to meet recruiters from health professions schools? Want to meet students pursuing health professions?
active with Project SAFE and the Annie Day Shepard House Council. “The more I do, the less I think about getting tired,” she said. Roach said lupus has helped her become more tuned in with her body. “I’m more health conscious now,” said Roach. “You need to know if your body is changing, like if your hair starts to fall out or if your blood pressure starts to rise.” Roach said it’s vital for her to communicate effectively with her doctor. Dr. Mary Anne Dooley, director of the Rheumatology Clinic at UNC-Chapel Hill, is optimistic about future treatment for lupus According to Dooley, there are currently six medicines in trials for the disease. “The outlook on medical care is improving,” Dooley said. “People are living longer because we are able to diagnose and treat patients earlier.” While they wait for treatment and medicines to improve, Smith and Roach are determined to make the best of a negative situation. Roach said lupus is not the end of the world. “It could have been worse,” she said. Smith said having lupus has helped her realize how precious life is. “People look at lupus as a disability, but I don’t want my lupus to be an excuse for anything,” said Smith. Smith said she plans to become a nurse. She said her experience led her to a deep appreciation of the profession. “Lupus reinforced my purpose in life,” she said.
N.C. Central University now has the opportunity to help combat the effects of cancer in the black community. Patricia Wigfall, associate dean of the School of Graduate Studies at N C C U , along with t h e Graduate S t u d i e s Program, received a $5,000 grant Patricia from the Wigfall American C a n c e r Society in September. Her vision of cancer awareness is now coming to fruition. “What we want to see is an increase in awareness of the effects of smoking and more campus participation in raising awareness of cancer prevention in general,” said Wigfall. Prior research focusing on smoking sparked the Charlottesville, Va. native’s interest in the effects of cancer on the Black community.
“In working I found that African-Americans are disproportionately affected by smoking-related illnesses,” said Wigfall. Wigfall first researched the grant and then prepared a proposal. “The School of Graduate Studies was interested in this grant because we wanted to give the graduate students a leadership role in the cancer awareness process,” said Wigfall. The Graduate Studies Program is avid about bringing the fight against cancer to the campus. During her study of cancer, Wigfall learned that African-Americans get cancer and die at higher rates than European-Americans; black men have a 50 percent greater chance at developing lung cancer than white men. The Graduate Studies Program has to implement two new programs under the ACS: the National Colleges Against Cancer and focus groups on single cigarettes. The CAC is nationally operated by the ACS, and a chapter will start at NCCU as a requirement for receiving the grant from the ACS. The focus groups are geared
toward educating students on the effects of single cigarettes. NCCU is the only university in North Carolina to receive an ACS demonstration grant. It is one of three universities in the state to establish a CAC chapter on a college campus. It also is the third university to receive a grant of this type. Wigfall believes that cancer awareness programs are particularly necessary on campus. “NCCU students who are educated about cancer prevention extend knowledge to [their] families,” said Wigfall. Pat Bolding, NCCU Accounts Payable clerk, has worked at NCCU for some 24 years, but in 1998 her life changed forever. “I am a breast cancer survivor,” said Bolding. “It is important to make people of all ages aware of breast cancer. Breast exams are the best way to prevent the cancer.” With the help of a sixweek radiation treatment, Bolding was able to combat the disease. “I can make people aware that a program like the CAC exists,” said Bolding.
LACROSSE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 accuser’s claims and said she never saw signs that the accuser was assaulted. Three NCCU students who reviewed the video “It was more than a bit biased and it seemed to be saying these players are innocent and victims of an unfair game. I would have liked to see [the story] from the [alleged] victim’s perspective,” said Kenice Mobley, history and psychology junior. Mobley said she was surprised to learn that DNA found on the accuser’s fingernail did not match that of any of the players. “I think for this to be for the first time they’ve spoken to the media and for the story to be reported in a bias, I think they’ve known that it would come out in their favor [or] ... they wouldn’t have spoken” said Jolanda Kindell, a mass communication sophomore. Dave Forker Evans of Bethesda, Md., Colin Finnerty of Garden City, N.Y., and Reade Seligmann, of Essex Fells, N.J., were indicted and charged with first-degree forcible rape, first-degree sexual offense
Students gather to watch “60 Minutes” story about the state of the Duke lacrosse case of alleged rape of an NCCU student. CHRISTOPHER WOOTEN/Staff Photographer
and first-degree kidnapping in April and May. The “60 Minutes” segment also interviewed Duke law professor James Coleman, who was critical of District Attorney Mike Nifong’s handling of the photo identifications of the lacrosse players by the accuser. Coleman, who wrote a report that outlined proper procedures for photo identifications, said that Nifong and the Durham Police Department did not follow proper line-up procedures
when they used only lacrosse players. One concern the students had was how people watching media coverage of the case might already have made their choice about what happened the night of March 13. “People already have preconceived notions of what happened that night,” said Lauren Gainor, mass communication sophomore. The men go on trial in Spring 2007.
“DECISIVE, FAIR and IN TOUCH WITH OUR COMMUNITY” • Graduate of N.C. Central University School of Law • Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. • Co-host of "Legal Eagle Review" on WNCU 90.7 FM • Former President of the N.C. Cental University School of Law Alumni Association • Commissioner, NC Social Service Commission 2002-2004 • Board President, Legal Aid of NC-Durham Advisory Board 2004-2005
If so, find out about the N.C. Health Careers Access Program at NCCU.
• Committed to safe schools, safe streets, and a safe community • Creative solutions for juveniles and families
Health Careers Center 521 Nelson Street Durham, NC 27707 919 530-7128 Barbara S. Moore, Director Alfreda D. Evans, Program Assistant
Campus Echo Online c a m p u s e c h o . c o m
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Tracy Hicks Barley District Court Judge.
Campus
4 NO
R TH
C
A R O L I N A
C
E N T R A L
UN
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
IVER SITY
NCCU RAPID HIV TEST EVENT Students to know results in minutes BY ERICKA HOLT ECHO STAFF WRITER
Wondering what your HIV status is and want to know it in a matter of minutes? Then you can just go for the rapid HIV test. N.C. Central University will be offering the HIV rapid test in the RAPID TEST Alfonso Where: Alfonso E l d e r Elder Student Student Union U n i o n When: Thur., Oct. Building 26, 10 am-5pm Thursday. The rapid Cost: Free t e s t involves an oral test where a pad is swabbed on the gums to test the cells and David Jolly not the saliva. The swab picks up cells from the gums. There will be no needle sticking or blood drawing. Results from the rapid test will be given in 20 minutes. “It’s not a saliva test and you cannot get HIV from saliva, said David Jolly, NCCU assistant professor in the health education department. A conventional HIV test requires an entire vial of blood and takes up to two weeks to get results. Jolly said there will be no statistics from the NCCU student results.
He said the event is a service to the students to help them know their status. Jolly said trained counselors and technicians will be performing the confidential test. Project STYLE, a collaborative initiative of the UNC School of Medicine, NCCU, and the Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, is funding the NCCU HIV Rapid test. The program started in response to data indicating a growing number of HIV cases among college students across North Carolina. I n an effort to help more students learn their HIV status, Project STYLE will be coordinating HIV testing events at colleges across the state, including St. Augustine’s University, UNC Chapel Hill and N.C. State University. Armed with the knowledge of the results, students will be able to get counseling and medical care quickly. “Knowing your status allows you to make informed decisions regarding your future and your life,” said Tanya Bass, NCCU public health educator. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40,000 Americans per year become infected with HIV. Among those who get tested, 30 percent do not return for results that are typically available a few weeks after the test is done. At least 8,000 of those people who do not return test positive and do not find out they are infected.
HIV awareness – top priority Campus organizations help students know more about HIV BY JEAN ROGERS ECHO STAFF WRITER
With HIV and AIDS on the rise — especially in the black community — many organizations are trying to do their part to help, including organizations at NCCU. Project STYLE (Strength Through Youth Living Empowered) was created a year ago in response to the rise of HIV and AIDS on college campuses in North Carolina. It has a target audience of black males ages 18-26 and receives federal funding through a grant from the Health Research and Services Administration. The primary goal of the grant is to figure out how to provide better services to young men of color who are HIV positive. Project coordinator Justin Smith says that this program is essential to the black community. “This is something that is really affecting our community more than any other community,” said Smith. The organization helps men with a range of things, including housing, food services and providing support groups. In addition to assisting these men, the organization seeks to educate the community on HIV and AIDS in general and also encourage people to know their status. Project STYLE has an ongoing program called
Duke Performances JOHN ZORN’S ACOUSTIC MASADA Friday, November 17 at 8 pm Page Auditorium Tickets: $26 General Admission
2006 "Genius" Award winner on sax w/Dave Douglas, trumpet; Greg Cohen, bass; Joey Baron, drums.
THE CIOMPI QUARTET with Branford Marsalis Saturday, November 18 8 pm in Page Auditorium $20 Adult, $10 Youth
Premier of Mountain Music by marc faris
Project SAFE’s Ahmed Finoh and Tanesha White give information at a freshman orientation event. Picture courtesy of Project SAFE
HIV 101 curriculum that is presented at different college campuses twice a month around the state. “There is a crisis in the black community with respect to HIV and AIDS and that manifests itself in many ways,” Smith said. “At STYLE, we are a place that people can come and get support and have a home to talk about the issues that are facing them” Another organization on campus that is working with HIV and AIDS is Project SAFE (Save A Fellow Eagle) Project SAFE was started in the spring of 2001 by health education majors, faculty, and staff at NCCU in collaboration with the
Durham county health department, based on the results of a survey that found that 90 percent of the people surveyed desired a peer education group on campus. Ahmed Finoh, president of Project SAFE, said their goal is prevention. “Our purpose as a peer education group is to prevent the spread of HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases on campus and continue the fight against the spread of HIV and AIDS and educate the student body and community about their sexual risk reduction,” said Finoh. Project SAFE achieves this goal through residential hall outreaches, stu-
Rapid Testing at NCCU: Your Questions Answered Q: Will other students be able to see my HIV test results? No student will see anyone’s test results. There will be some student volunteers helping out with the event, but they will not be involved in the counseling and testing portion of the event nor will they handle test results. Trained professionals will be conducting the counseling, running the tests, and handling the results. Q: Are statistics on the results of NCCU student testing going to be made public? There will be no reporting to the media or to the general public regarding the number of individuals who may test positive at this event, nor will any identifiable information about those individuals be made public. HIV test results are confidential. This is not a research study to find out how many NCCU students are infected with HIV, rather this is a service to help students learn their HIV status so that they can take the appropriate steps to live healthy lives.
EDGAR MEYER, bass CHRIS THILE, mandolin Thursday, January 25 8 pm in Page Auditorium $25 General Admission
Rock/jazz/folk
Q: What happens if a student tests positive during the NCCU HIV Rapid Test event?
Thursday, February 1 8 pm in Page Auditorium $25/$20/$15 Reserved Seating
Any reactive (positive) result produced using the OraQuick Advance test, the device that will be used during this event, is considered to be a preliminary positive. What this means is that the HIV diagnosis is not considered conclusive until a second set of tests is run to confirm this preliminary positive result. This second test is a blood test. Any individual who tests positive will be given appropriate counseling and support and will undergo a blood draw for the confirmatory test. A physician who specializes in HIV care will also be on-site to provide any additional information. The physician will also be able to see anyone who tests positive at a nearby clinic to provide follow-up evaluation.
Two super-groups of jazz and classical strings
Q: Can I bring my boyfriend or girlfriend so that we can be tested together?
TURTLE ISLAND STRING QUARTET with Sergio and Odair Assad
Couples can undergo pre-HIV test counseling together if both parties consent to do so. However, individuals are given their HIV test results in private, even if the counseling session was conducted in the presence of a partner or friend. Q: What is the OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV test and how is it different from other tests?
MARIA SCHNEIDER JAZZ ORCHESTRA Friday, April 20 at 8 pm in Page Auditorium $25/$20/$15 Reserved Seating
Gil Evans protégée, 2005 Grammy Award winner
Info: www.duke.edu/web/dukeperfs. Tickets: www.tickets.duke.edu or call 684-4444. (NCCU students — bring this ad to the performance and get the Duke Student ticket price. Valid NCCU student I.D. required when picking up ticket. 1 ticket per student.)
dent programs, and national annual events. They also host safer sex parties that are held every month in the residential halls. At these games the participants play condom relay and STD bingo. Project SAFE has also hosted many other events, including World Aids Day last December in front of the Hoey Administration building. “Project SAFE is important not only to NCCU, but also to the Durham community because in this day and age knowledge and information about HIV and STDs and risk reduction is a vital step to stopping this epidemic,” Finoh said.
The OraQuick Advance rapid HIV is used to see if a sample of cells from your gums contains HIV antibodies. Because it is an oral test, it does not involve needles or the collection of blood and is painless. The test provides results within 20 minutes and is highly accurate. The conventional blood test for HIV is used to see if a sample of your blood contains HIV antibodies. It requires the use of a needle for specimen collection. The wait time for results generally ranges between 1-2 weeks. Q: If this is an oral test, does it mean that HIV is in the saliva and can be transmitted through saliva? No. This is not a saliva test, and although HIV can be present in saliva, there is no evidence to suggest that HIV can be transmitted through saliva. An individual would have to consume over 2 gallons of sali-
va (yuck!) in order to be at risk for acquiring HIV through saliva. There has never been a documented case of HIV transmission through saliva. Q: How accurate is the OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV test? The OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV test is highly accurate for the detection of HIV antibodies in oral fluid, more than 99% accurate. However, it can take up to 3 months for the antibodies that the test checks for to develop so new HIV infections (within the last 3 months) may not be detected by this test. Your counselor will work with you to help you understand the “window period” and can discuss other testing options that are available if you feel that you may have been exposed to HIV within the last three months.. Q: Who will know my results? Every measure will be taken to maintain the confidentiality of the individuals who are being tested. We are required by law to report the names of individuals who test positive to the North Carolina HIV/STD Prevention and Care Branch, a division of the NC Department of Health. This is done to assist individuals in connecting with needed medical care and social services, as well as to initiate the partner notification process. All HIV+ persons are required to notify past sexual and/or needle sharing partners that they may have been exposed to HIV. It can be difficult for individuals to notify their own partners; when this is the case, the Prevention and Care Branch can assist in the process. All partner contacts are done anonymously and at no point is information about the identity of the HIV+ individual given to the partners. Q: Is it possible to test positive and not be infected with HIV? In very rare instances it is possible to receive a positive test result and not be infected with HIV. This does not happen very often. This is why a confirmatory test is run on any preliminary positive result. — Answers provided by Project STYLE coordinator Justin Smith.
NEWLY DIAGNOSED CASES OF HIV AMONG BLACKS IN NORTH CAROLINA, 2005
AGE
MALE
FEMALE
0-12 yrs 13-19 yrs 20-29 yrs 30-39 yrs 40-49 yrs 50+
5 44 169 203 228 126
1 16 83 112 110 45
TOTAL
775
367
*Statistics from Epidemiology and Special Studies Unit/HIV-STD Prevention and Care Branch
5
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
HBCU College Tour
“Nurturing the Minds of Tomorrow’s Leaders” CHECK US OUT AT ANY OF THESE SCHOOLS TO FIND OUT HOW TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE CARE PACKAGE.
We’ll Be on Your Campus:
Thursday, Nov. 2
09/27/06 10/16/06 10/18/06 10/24/06 10/26/06 10/30/06 11/02/06 11/03/06
Fashion Show Hair Analysis
Virginia State University Texas Southern University North Carolina A&T State University Hampton University Prairie View A&M University Norfolk State University North Carolina Central University South Carolina State University
Entertainment
Raffles
Free Care Packages Prize Wheel Visit www.jetmag.com for dates, updates and complete details.
SPONSORED IN PART BY:
Campus Echo Online campusecho.com United Christian Campus Ministry 525 Nelson Street, NCCU Campus
Sign up now! InterVarsity Black Campus Ministries Student Conference St. Augustine’s College, Raleigh, NC Saturday, November 11 9 AM – 5:30 PM
Michael D. Page Campus Minister
Join Christian STudent Fellowship, Dance Ministry or FITT Men’s Ministry Fellowship.
To get involved in Campus Ministries contact us at 530-6380 or e-mail us at mpage@wpo.nccu.edu
It’s time to start preparing for the ‘world of work.’ University Career Services is the student’s focal point for career planning. We offer career counseling, part-time job placements, internships, and cooperative education placements in both the private and public sectors. We offer workshops on resume writing, inteviewing, cover letter writing, and stress management. Plus, in our Glaxo Career Library, you’ll find career-related videos, brochures, pamphlets, and magazines, as well as graduate school catalogs and annual reports — all there for you to review. Call for an appointment or drop by to meet with one of our counselors.
University Career Services William Jones Building, Room 005 560-6337/mstuckey@nccu.edu
Beyond NCCU
6 NO
R TH
C
A R O L I N A
C
E N T R A L
UN
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
IVER SITY
Affirm action on ballot
OBAMA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Michigan may follow California’s Prop 209 BERKELEY, Calif. — Michigan has a question for California: Was it a good idea to prohibit, as your voters did in 1996, the use of race- and gender-based affirmative action by public schools and government agencies for hiring, contracting and admissions decisions? Ten years ago, the issue raged in California just as it does now in Michigan in the run-up to the Nov. 7 election and a vote on the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, or MCRI. Like backers of the MCRI, proponents of the nearly identical California Civil Rights Initiative, known as Proposition 209, promised a pathway to a colorblind society. Its opponents forecast an end to opportunity for women and minorities. A decade later, some results are tangible: fewer African Americans at elite state universities and an apparent reduction in cost for road contracts awarded without consideration of race and gender. But would California do it again? “In a heartbeat,” said Ward Connerly, the former University of California regent who led the campaign to pass 209. Connerly is also a principal organizer of the MCRI campaign. Even opponents agree that Californians aren’t ready to repeal the proposition. But Eva Paterson, who heads a coalition dedicated to doing away with 209, said she thinks that California voters someday will realize their mistake. “There are fewer opportunities for minorities and women,” Paterson said. “California is worse off.” Hard evidence about the effect of 209 is fragmentary and hard to interpret. After its enactment, black and Hispanic enrollment declined sharply at the University of California system’s elite schools — Berkeley and UCLA. At UCLA, this fall’s
Community Advocates, Inc., Vice President Joe R. Hicks, 65, at his office in Los Angeles, California, Monday, August 7, 2006. Hicks initially opposed Proposition 209 which eliminated race and gender-based considerations for government jobs and educational opportunities, but changed his mind 10 years later. AMY LEANG/Detroit Free Press/MCT
freshman class includes just 96 African Americans (about 2 percent) — a 30year low. Other reports have documented drops in minority and female faculty on some campuses and suggested a decline in the number of government contracts awarded to minorityand female-owned businesses. But other research shows that overall minority enrollment at the elite schools has stabilized at lower levels, that overall minority enrollment is at or above pre-209 levels and that system-wide, California was among the national leaders in degrees awarded to nonwhite students. Still, African Americans, 6 percent of California’s population, did not keep pace with the increases in the attainment of college degrees by white, Asian or Hispanic Californians during the last 10 years. On a broader scale, many of the traditional measures of progress _ income, educational attainment, poverty rates _ show that progress for California’s minorities and women has outpaced that of whites and men during the last decade. According to data from the California Demographic Research Unit: The median income for women rose slightly more than that for men between
1995 and 2003. The growth in median household income for blacks, Hispanics and Asians between 1995 and 2004 was significantly higher than it was for whites. Poverty rates fell sharply for blacks, Hispanics and Asians while rising for whites between 1996 and 2004. Hans Johnson, an economist at the Public Policy Institute of California, urged caution in linking the passage of 209 to those changes. The ban applied only to public schools and government agencies, Johnson said. In the larger, private California economy, affirmative action remains common — as it would in Michigan if the MCRI were adopted. Deborah Reed, another researcher and a former associate professor at the University of Michigan, said economic trends for all groups in California were positive in the post209 decade. “Right now, the research on 209 is too scant to tell us if it was bad or good,” Reed said. Justin Marion, a professor of economics at the University of California at Santa Cruz, said he is reasonably confident that 209 has saved taxpayers money on road building. Marion analyzed spending after 1996, when state and local road projects no
Register by Nov. 3
Prepare Now for the MCAT, GRE, DAT, PCAT, OAT and other science-based tests.
Come to the Health Careers Center at 521 Nelson Street. For more information call 530-7128. Ask for Alfreda Evans or Dr. Charles McClinton.
longer required that a portion of all contracts be set aside for businesses owned by minorities and women. Since federal projects were still subject to set-asides, it was possible to test the effect on cost. He found that removing race and gender preferences cut contract costs 3.7 percent to 6 percent. Supporters of affirmative action argue that the premium for taxpayers is small and offset by greater opportunities for historically disadvantaged people. But measuring the effectiveness of affirmative-action programs and the impact of ending them has been tough. The Discrimination Research Center, an affirmative-action advocacy organization founded in Berkeley in 1998, found fewer women in construction trades and attributed that to 209. But the authors cited shortcomings in data and acknowledged that even post-209 “women are better represented in the construction industry in California than nationally.” On the other hand, the race and gender composition of the California state government workforce has changed little. Whites and African Americans, both shrinking portions of the population, are also a declining portion of the state workforce; Hispanics and Asians, both increasing, occupy a larger share. Connerly said the measure of 209’s success is in the way individuals are treated. “The vision should be, ‘Did you have a fair and equal chance to compete?’” More important, he said, is that 209’s biggest impact was cultural. “The weight of the law was no longer in favor of using preferences. That is an attitudinal change that may take decades to be absorbed. But it’s in the fabric of everyday life now.”
Room For Rent – Walk to Campus Looking for a spacious bedroom with kitchen and living room accessibility in a quiet neighborhood in walking distance to campus? Immediate occupancy! Interested? Call (919) 361-2146
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) with his grandmother, Sarah Hussein Obama, at her house in his family’s village of Kogelo, Kenya on August 26, 2006. PETE SOUZA/Chicago Tribune/MCT
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is considered the early front-runner for the Democratic nomination, should she decide to run, but some Democratic strategists said Sunday that Obama immediately would become one of her principal challengers, if he decides to run. “If he runs and Mrs. Clinton runs, I don’t think there’s a lot of room for anyone else,” said Steve Elmendorf, who was a top adviser to former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo. “The two of them take up an enormous amount of political space.” Party strategists said that, if voters are looking for change in 2008, Obama would symbolize that better than many of the other possible candidates. But having served just two years in the Senate and seven in the Illinois state Senate, Obama has a thin resume upon which to build a presidential candidacy. He was asked Sunday whether he was ready to be president. “I’m not sure anybody is ready to be president before they’re president,” he told moderator Tim Russert. “You know, ultimately, I trust the judgment of the American people that in any election they sort it through. We have a long and a rigorous process and, you know, should I decide to run, if I ever did decide to run, I’m confident that I’d be run through the paces pretty good.” Obama, 45, was elected to the Senate in 2004 and even before winning that election became a nationally recognized politician with his keynote address in Boston. He is one of the party’s most sought-after speakers and has drawn sizable crowds at
g n i n r s a l l e i L k S e v g i t Ac t-Takin shop y Nov. 11-12 Tes lls Work ay & Sunnda aturd locatio Ski S m p :30
4 m 9a
Call
for
Presented by Dr. Aftab Hassan, President, Metro Academic Research • Learn to think like the test maker • Break down the barriers to successful test taking • Become a successful professional school applicant • Learn successful tips, skills, st4rategies and techniques • Enhance your scientific knowledge base • Improve your study skills Register by Nov. 3 ~ Cost $25. ~ You will receive pre-test 8 with solutions booklet. ~ All workshop materials, including vocabulary list, study skills and skills techniques. ~ Lunch provided.
OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, NOV. 12 ~ 3-5 PM
party events and at appearances in behalf of other Democratic candidates. He is currently on a nationwide tour promoting his new book, “The Audacity of Hope.” An earlier book became a national best seller after his convention keynote address in 2004. He also has appeared on the covers of Time magazine and Gentleman’s Quarterly. In his appearance Sunday, Obama said pursuit of the presidency cannot be based on celebrity and conceit. “It can’t be something that you pursue on the basis of vanity and ambition,” he said. “I think there’s a certain soberness and seriousness required when you think about that office that is unique.” Obama advisers said Sunday there has been little formal analysis done in preparation for a possible campaign and agreed they will now accelerate that work. But they said they are confident Obama could raise the money to run and noted that he already has many offers from people to work in a campaign. “He understands it’s a lot easier when you’re the subject of speculation than when you’re in the arena battling it out,” said David Axelrod, one of Obama’s advisers. A large field of prospective candidates awaits Obama, if he decides to run. They include Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and former North Carolina senator John Edwards, Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden and Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold. Some Democrats hope former vice president Al Gore will jump in.
OCTOBER 25, 2006
ELECTION SPECIAL
A CAMPUS ECHO PUBLICATION
2006 mid-term elections
Majority control shapes legislation
Congress up for grabs Historic shift may be in cards
BY DENITA SMITH
BY PATRICIA PRITCHETTE
ECHO STAFF WRITER
ECHO STAFF WRITER
Polls are showing that over 67 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the direction in which things are moving in the United States, and Republicans are facing the possibility of losing their majority in Congress — a majority they’ve held since November, 1994. But what does a victory for either party mean? Although the president gets much of the media coverage, and is largely responsible for setting the political agenda, a lot of power rests in the hands of the two congressional bodies. The 435 member House of Representatives and the 100 member Senate write legislation and approve department and Supreme Court appointments. The Congress also provide oversight of — and investigations of — government agencies. The two bodies ratify treaties, regulate commerce, shape taxation and spending policies, declare war, and approve funding for the military. The political party that controls the Congress appoints the chairpersons for all congressional com-
Control of the U.S. Senate is currently up for grabs. A total of six seats are needed if the Democrats plan to succeed. Of the 13 key state races, the Democrats are currently leading in 10 states. The gap is smallest in Tennessee, Missouri and Virginia, where the Democrats are leading in two of the three; four of the remaining states are leaning toward the Democrats, and one is leaning Republican. Two seats are toss-ups.
n See MAJORITY Page 2
The current “momentum shift,” noted by Slate.com, is toward the Democrats. For instance, in the Tennessee senate race, Congressman Harold Ford Jr. (D), has a narrow lead over Bob Corker (R). Ford is vying to become the 2nd AfricanAmerican Senator in the U.S. senate, and the first popularly elected from the South. According to the New York Times, Corker a real estate developer, appears to have firm stance on the issue of illegal immigration but fails to mention the arrest of illegal immi-
n See CONGRESS Page 3 THE HOUSE AND SENATE TODAY
DURHAM COUNTY VOTER GUIDE
WHO WILL BE
PAGE 2
PAGE 2
THE DECLINE OF THE STUDENT VOTER
TEST YOURSELF: A POLITICAL POP QUIZ
PAGE 3
PAGE 3
ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER?
Two parties, paths Heads you win, tails I lose he debate about which political party benefits African-Americans the most will forever stream through livrooms, POLITICAL ing television OUTLOOK sets and e v e n S u n d a y morning sanctuaries. E v e n t h o u g h party platf o r m s change as often as SASHA Bush says VANN war on terror, people have a general sense of who is trying to lead their lives. Or do they? The need to understand the philosophies behind the Republican and the Democratic platforms is crucial when election time comes around. Obviously, party platforms change
T
according to which population will be more receptive to the leadership, once it is established. Republicans have historically been on the side of less government (though not recently) and more private ownership. They also maintain conservative views on civil liberties and lifestyles and use federal finances to preserve military and international investments. That’s their thing. Democrats position themselves on giving tax breaks to the middle- and working classes and promoting more government. They enact fewer restrictions on civil liberties and feel that federal finances should be used to establish programs that cater to citizens. That’s how they get down. Now, where do you fit in? For the past 70 years, most African Americans
have voted on the Democratic Party ticket, and it’s not because their favorite animal is a jackass. After the Great Depression and the implementation of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program, African Americans have felt that Democrats have been the party to depend on for economic support. Throughout the sixties and the Civil Rights movement, Lyndon B. Johnson developed the Great Society program. This program touched on issues that concerned African-Americans such as education, urban renewal, Medicare, the fight against poverty and crime, and removal of obstacles blocking right to vote. Sounds like the ideal party for blacks in America, right? Well, maybe.
n See PARTIES Page 3
KEY POLICY POSITIONS OF THE TWO MAJOR U.S. PARTIES
SOURCE: THISNATION.COM
The pie charts show the current composition of the Congress. On the left is the U.S. House of Representatives, and on the right is the U.S. Senate.
DEMOCRATS n Same Sex Marriages: favor the inclusion of gay
REPUBLICANS n Same Sex Marriages: oppose sexual orientation
and lesbian families in the nation. Believe states should define marriage.
protection by civil rights laws; strongly support for traditional definitions of marriage.
n War/Foreign Policy: favor safety of Israel but support Palestinian state. Question administration’s conduct of the Iraq war.
n War/Foreign Policy: favor the safety of Israel; protect economic interest and ensure the reliable flow of oil from Persian Gulf region.
n Civil Liberties: support Equal Rights Act and affirmative action to redress discrimination.
n Civil Liberties: oppose the requirement for companies to hire more women and minorities.
n Tax Reform: oppose Bush tax cuts for wealthy, favor cuts for middle class Americans.
n Tax Reform: favor overall decrease of taxation on wealthy.
2006 Mid-term Election CAMPUS ECHO PAGE 2 10.25.2006 Who is on the ballot? Below is a list of the names as they will appear on the Durham county ballot at Miller-Morgan Health Sciences Building, Nov. 7.
DURHAM COUNTY VOTERS GUIDE 2006 Students registered to vote in Precinct 55-49 vote in the Miller-Morgan Health Sciences Building, 6:30 am to 7:30 pm Early one stop continues through Nov. 4, Monday-Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm at 706 W. Corporation St., Durham
Casting a straight party vote may be best solution for some voters. This method of voting is done with one simple mark and it casts a vote for one political party or the other. Note that a straight party vote, the first option on the ballot, does not cast a vote for non-partisan offices. These must be selected individually.
PARTISAN RACES Congress District 4 David Price - Dem Steve Acuff - Rep NC State Senate District 20 Jeanne H. Lucas - Dem NC State House District 30 Paul Luebke - Dem District Attorney District 14 Mike Nifong - Dem Lewis A. Cheek - Una Sheriff Worth L. Hill - Dem Clerk of Superior Court Archie Smith - Dem
District Court Judge candidate, Tracy H. Barley, with District Attorney Mike Nifong at a Vote or Die rally at NCCU on Oct. 17, 2006. Barley is an alumna of NCCU’s School of Law. CANDICE MITCHELL/Staff Photographer
PARTISAN RACES
David Price (NC-D) at N.C. Central University. Price has represented N.C. District 4 from 1987-1994 and from 1997 to present. .
U.S. Congress District 4
District Attorney District 14
(DEM) David Price (Incumbent) Self-written statement: I believe democracy is the system of government that best takes into account both the good and the bad elements of human nature. I have fought to strengthen the Triangle’s economy by targeting tax cuts to working families, help to laid-off workers, and more funding to education and research.
Note: Nifong faces opposition from Republican write-in candidate Steve Monks and Democrat Lewis Cheek, who appears on the ballot as unaffiliated. Cheek says he will not accept the office, thereby leaving it open for appointment by the governor.
(REP) Steve Acuff Self-written statement: Government of the people, by the people, for the people.Our current Representative is a good man who has served our district well in the past, but he and his party are more into confronting our President and less into solving our problems.
N.C. State Senate District 20 (DEM) Jeanne Hopkins Lucas
(DEM) Mike Nifong Self-written statement: The District Attorney’s Office must be a place of unquestioned integrity. That office must be ... a place of absolute fairness. That office must be ... a place of demonstrated competence. DEM ) Lewis A. Cheek (unaffiliated) (D Self-written statement: No response.
N.C. State House District 30
UNOPPOSED
(DEM) Paul Luebke
UNOPPOSED
(REP) Steve Monks Self-written statement: No response.
Sheriff (DEM) Worth Hill
Clerk of Superior Court UNOPPOSED
(DEM ) Archie Smith
UNOPPOSED
RONY CAMILLE/Editor-In-Chief
NON-PARTISAN NON-PARTISAN RACES Supreme Ct. Chief Justice Rusty Duke Sarah Parker
Supreme Ct. Assoc. Justice Racheal Lea Hunter Mark D. Martin Supreme Ct. Associate Justice Eric Levinson Patricia Timmons-Goodson
Supreme Court Associate Justice
Supreme Court Chief Justice Rusty Duke Self-written statement: I believe in the Rule of Law, not the rule of Judges. A Judge has the authority to interpret law, not make law. I believe that our individual rights are given to us by our Creator, as Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, and that government is instituted by us as citizens to protect those rights. Sarah Parker Self-written statement: My judicial philosophy is premised on my convictions that a judge holds the office in trust for the benefit of the people; that the fair and impartial administration of justice is essential to the well-being of our society; that the role of the judiciary is to interpret and apply the laws enacted by the General Assembly ... and that the court is the ultimate protector of our most cherished freedoms.
Supreme Ct. Associate Justice Ann Marie Calibria Robin Hudson Court of Appeals Judge Kris Bailey Robert C. (Bob) Hunter
Supreme Court Associate Justice Rachel Lea Hunter Self-written statement: No response Mark D. Martin Self-written statement: Judges have the responsibility to uphold the rule of law so that justice is administered fairly and impartially. My goal each day is to do the best job I can in my role as judge.
Ann Marie Calabria Self-written statement: Those who victimize others must get a sentence that fits the crime, with an eye toward reforming those who can be rehabilitated.
Robin Hudson Self-written statement: Because I am a judge, and not a politician in the usual sense, I do not have a political philosphy or agenda. I have taken an oath to uphold the laws and the Constitutions of the United States and the state of North Carolina, and I work hard every day to do exactly that, and to treat everyone fairly.
Court of Appeals Judge Kris Bailey Self-written statement: INTEGRITY Out of respect for public trust, Kris Bailey refuses campaign money from lawyers. Voters are deeply troubled by the fact that many judges take money from the very lawyers who practice in court before them. Kris Bailey is the only choice in this race that refuses money from lawyers.
Court of Appeals Judge
District Court Judge District 14
Linda Stephens Self-written statement: My judidical philosophy is simple: I will work hard; apply the law correctly as it is written to all cases before me, even if to do so is contrary to my personal beliefs; listen impartially to all parties; judge each case and each issue fairly; reach decisions promptly; uphold the Constitutions of the United States and of North Carolina; seek to ensure justice, one case at a time.
Anita L. Smith Self-written statement: I am concerned about so many children coming through the court system, the increase in crimes against women and the elderly, and gang violence. I believe that the judicial system can work when fair minded and qualified people preside. I am a woman of faith who understands that God orders my steps in this campaign, my private life, and my professional life.
Donna Stroud Self-written statement: My political philosophy is conservative. As relevant to the office I am seeking on the Court of Appeals, I also have a conservative judicial philosophy. In recent years, some appellate courts have gone beyond their proper role of interpreting and applying the law and have instead created new law.
District Court Judge District 14 Craig B. Brown; UNOPPOSED
District Court Judge District 14 Elaine M. Bushfan; UNOPPOSED
Court of Appeals Judge
Supreme Court Associate Justice Linda Stephens Donna Stroud District Court Judge District 14
Eric Levinson Self-written statement: “Never, never, never compromise your integrity.” This is how the note reads that I keep in the courtroom, and it is the ideal that guides my conduct everyday.
Craig B. Brown District Court Judge District 14
Patricia Timmons-Goodson Self-written statement: No response.
Robert C. (Bob) Hunter Self-written statement: I bring no personal or political agenda to the court. I feel strongly that each matter that comes before me should be accorded a fair and impartial hearing with a decision rendered based on the facts and on the law as it applies in that case. Judges should treat everyone with dignity and respect.
District Court Judge District 14 Nancy E. Gordon Self-written statement: A judicial candidate should not express any political philosophy. A judge’s job is to make fair and reasoned decisions based on law and evidence, not based on a political philosphy, sentiment or political agenda.
District Court Judge District 14 James T. (Jim) Hill; UNOPPOSED
District Court Judge District 14 Tracy Hicks Barley Self-written statement: The incumbent has not served in every courtroom and her decisions have been delayed which has led to decreased efficiency for staff and lawyers. Ann McKown Self-written statement: My judicial philosophy is simple, I believe that every person who comes before the Court deserves a thoughtful and careful analysis of the facts and a just and fair applilcation of the law.
District Court Judge District 14 Marcia H. Morey; UNOPPOSED
Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor (You may vote for two) Raymond Lee Eurquhart Robert Rosenthal
Elaine M. Bushfan District Court Judge District 14
MAJORITY
Nancy E. Gordon Anita L. Smith
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
District Court Judge District 14 James T. (Jim) Hill District Court Judge District 14 Tracy Hicks Barley Ann Mckown District Court Judge District 14 Marcia H. Morey Soil & Water Dist. Supervisor Raymond Lee Eurquhart Robert Rosenthal
mittees and subcommittees. This means that Republicans chair every committee in the House and the Senate. “Control over these chairs is based solely on election results,” said N.C. Central political science department chair, Jeffrey Elliot. In other words, Congressional power is based on the principle of majority rule. According to Elliot, the committees and subcom-
mittees act as filters in Congress — they decide which bills get considered before the full House and the Senate. “Whichever party controls the House or Senate also controls the committee system in that body,” Elliot said. “Today, the Republicans control both bodies. Therefore, the chairs of all committees, both in the House and Senate, are automatically members of the Republican Party.” Among the many commit-
tees in the House and the Senate, the most important committees are the standing committees. These are the permanent committees in the House and Senate. Proposed bills get considered and debated in these committees. “It is difficult to say which of these are the most powerful, as they each have a different jurisdiction over legislation,” said Elliot. He said some of the most important standing committees in the House include
the Appropriations, Budget, Education and the Workforce, International Relations, Judiciary, Rules, and Ways and Means Committees. “Clearly, education and the workforce and judiciary are vital to the interests of African Americans,” Elliot said. In the Senate, some of the most powerful standing committees include the Appropriations, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Budget, Finance, Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Rules and Administration Committees. “African Americans focus heavily on the efforts of the Appropriations, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Judiciary Committees,” Elliot said. “However, the actions of all of these standing committees, both in the House and Senate, heavily affect the fortunes of African Americans.”
2006 Mid-term Election CAMPUS ECHO PAGE 3 10.25.2006
Politics as usual, so be unusual
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 for an for North Carolina’s 8th and 11th district seats. In the 8th District’s race the two candidates are incumbent Republican Robert Hayes and Democratic challenger Larry Kissell. Hayes, 61, has held the seat for four terms and is from Concord while Hayes, 55, is a social studies teacher from Biscoe. A major issue of the 8th District is the economy. Kissell states that Hayes is “in bed with big oil” and there have been a loss of 10,000 jobs in the 8th District according to Heraldsun.com and Newsobserver.com. Hayes maintains that he worked hard to promote economic
Few vote at NCCU
64%
1984
1988
1992
1996
18- TO 24-year olds who voted
2000
2004
All other citizens who voted Source: U.S. Census Bureau
A Majority of Youth Ages 15-24 Feel They Can Make Little Difference in Solving the Problems of Their Community
ple went to jail for the right to vote. I think it’s a dishonor and a disgrace to everyone who went before us when we don’t vote.” NCCU Political science associate professor Rolin Mainuddinsaid people are more likely to vote if they just get registered. “Registration is the key in bridging the gap,” she said. Barley issued this challenge: “See if more students from NCCU can get to the polls than students from Duke.”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
40%
20%
0% White
AfricanAmerican
Great Deal/Some Influence
Latino
A Little/Almost No/No Influence
Source: Council for Excellence in Government
African-American Youth Ages 15-25 Least Likely to View Voting as Important 60%
40%
20%
0% White
AfricanAmerican
Consider voting important
Latino
Don’t consider voting important
Source: Council for Excellence in Government
Surprisingly, back in the day, the Republican Party opposed the expansion of slavery into the west and supported Lincoln in his stance to abolish slavery. This doesn’t say too much for the Democrats, who declined to take any position on slavery. In 1880, the GOP elevated 4 million former slaves to citizenship. The Democrats, by supporting the Ku Klux Klan after the Civil War, instigated the murders of more blacks than during any other period in American History. Between 1886 and 1900, 1,418 African-Americans were lynched. Those are some pretty hard statistics for the black person’s party of choice. And the relevance of this is ... what? Probably that folks need to understand the platforms of the candidates on the ballot. Granted, most times the ticket gives voters the best choice between hell and hell, but hey, until it’s better, a decision needs to be
made. Don’t let a couple of seemingly good economic moves make a fool out of you. Of course, Bill Clinton, the last Democratic president, also known as “America’s First black President,” did wonders for the African-American population. Other than being noted for playing the saxophone and smoking marijuana, Clinton can be remembered for his unpublicized visits to Colombia to “aid” in the “anti-drug” program, taking a billion dollars and some bodyguards with him. No exaggeration. Oh yeah, he is also an advocate for the Rockefeller drug laws, which disproportionately target African Americans for incarceration. These laws place harsher sentences on those who commit non-violent crimes than on those who do something like go on a shooting spree at a school. Seems like a pretty good way to clear out Harlem, eh, Bill? This is not to say that
3: Which political party currently controls the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate? 4: How many Democrats have to be elected on Nov. 7 for the Democratic party to gain control of the U.S. Senate? 5: Who would become the Speaker of the House if the Democrats gain control of the House? 6: The NC Speaker of the House, Jim Black, in mired in a scandal involving what?
PARTIES
60%
2: Name the incumbent candidate for district attorney in Durham?
the Republicans are that great either, given the politics of Hoover, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush Sr. and Jr. It would be a tragedy to have another Republicaninfluenced Congress such as the one currently in place. Ask these guys what happened to the Social Security reform bill. Never mind, they wouldn’t know. They’re only good at giving baby Bush his bottle. But anyway. November 7, 2006 is more than just a time to express this recently obtained right to vote. First-timers and returnees will have to take that stub of a pencil to make choices for themselves and their counterparts. History clearly shows that whatever the people demand, this united republic made in America will have to supply—to some extent. These politicians want to get in on the fun, trust. Hey, what kind of party would it be without pin the tail on the donkey and a trunkful of peanuts?
7: Name the Democratic candidate for the House fo Representatives who was a former NFL player. 8: Who might become the second African American in the the U.S. Senate? 9: This man, a political strategist, has been called “Bush’s brain.” Name him. 10: About how many U.S. soldiers have died in the Iraq war? 11: Name the mayor of Durham. 12: Name Defense.
Secretary
of
ANSWERS
1: David Price
0%
If the results of the May 2006 primary elections are an indication of what may happen in next month’s elections, voter turnout at Miller-Morgan Health Sciences Building may be feeble. According to the Durham County Board of Elections, only 64 of 1,934 registered voters in Precinct 55-49 showed up at the Miller-Morgan poll site for the May 2 primary
election. In fact, all of Durham had a low turnout. Of 140,943 registered voters in Durham, just 29,279 voted in that primary. Tracy H. Barley, a candidate for District Court Judge and a graduate of NCCU said the MillerMorgan poll site may soon be moved if more students don’t vote. “It’s your job as students to stay informed,” said Barley. “Every single vote counts ... It matters because people died, peo-
2: Mike Nifong
20%
ECHO STAFF WRITER
3: Republican Party
40%
BY JESSICA PARKER
1: Name the U.S. representative from the district where N.C. Central is located?
4: Six.
47%
POLITICAL POP QUIZ
5: Nancy Polosi (D-Calif)
60%
development and made attempts to bring in more jobs. The race in the 11th District is between former pro football quarterback, Democrat Heath Shuler and Incumbent Republican Charles Taylor. According to Raleigh based Public Policy Polling, Shuler has a 4-point lead over Taylor, a slight change from May. Voters in the 11th District have become wary of Bush’s leadership, and this is helping Shuler attract independent voters who favor Shuler 64 percent to 31 percent, reports Public Policy Polling. Taylor has held the seat for over a decade, for a total of nine straight terms in the U.S. House.
6: Passage of the lottery bill.
Allen leads with 48.6 percent and defends the war in Iraq and the leadership of President Bush while Webb, former Navy Secretary and a Marine with numerous medals, says the war is an “incredible strategic blunder of historic proportions.” Due to the 15-seat advantage that the Republican Party has over the Democrats, November’s election will be vital in determining the fate of the Democratic Party. To win the U.S. House, the Democrats will need to secure 16 key seats that will be on the ballot in the next election. A total of 435 House seats will be on the ballot for November’s election, two of which will be
7: Heath Shuler
grants working on one of his construction work sites. In Missouri, Democrat Claire McCaskill, the state Auditor, leads Incumbent Jim Talent. In the Missouri race, the issues of embryonic stem cell research and the 2nd Amendment have become volatile. While McCaskill and 81 percent of her supporters back the 2nd Amendment and embryonic stem cell research, Talent and 61 percent of his allies oppose them, as noted by STLToday.com. A Washington Post article reports that in the Va. race between Republican Incumbent George Allen and Democrat Jim Webb.
8: Harold Ford
18- TO 24-YEAR OLDS WHO VOTED
CONGRESS
9: Karl Rove
Young citizens have been voting less and less over the past few decades. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at the University of Maryland, voter turnout of 18-24 year olds dropped by about 13 percent (from 55% in 1972 to 47% in 2004). This lack of representation at the polls means that young people’s issues are being virtually ignored by political candidates. Over 50 perent of African-American youth aged 15-25 said they did not consider voting important.
CHUCK KENNEDY/KRT
10: 2,803
YOUTH VOTE ON THE DECLINE
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, (D-CA) shakes hands with Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) during a press conference, Nov. 14, 2002, in Washington, D.C.
11. Bill Bell
P
excitement. Both the Republican and Democratic parties are in all out war to control Congress. This year’s election shows signs of a possible Democratic return to power. This is the best time for students to be most effective. As you may or may not know, NCCU has its own electoral precinct. Therefore, it has an official election site on campus, a privilege not afforded to any of the other surrounding campuses. Mike Nifong, stated “NCCU had the lowest voter turnout in my last election, yet I beat my opponents by less than three votes.” Nifong is currently under pressure by a group of Duke students who are trying to get him out of office. Ultimately, a lot of excitement is revolving around politics. John Spencer, the Republican opponent of New York Senator Hillary Clinton, recently called the former first lady “ugly” and accused her of having several plastic surgeries. Senator Barrack Obama has been propelled into the stratosphere with the attention surrounding his potential run for presidency in 2008, in which he would become the first black president in U.S. history. Even though, all of this affects you, you mean nothing if you don’t participate in the political process. That’s it.
12. Donald Rumsfeld
olitics, the word alone makes some people squeamish. However, “civic engagers” such as myself, quiver anxiously for the campaign season. My passion for politics comes not because a slew of politicians are running A.J. for various o f f i c e s , Donaldson instead my spirit erupts with expectation that young people — especially African Americans — will turn out to the polls to vote in unprecedented numbers. “Why should I vote?” is the number one question I receive from most students, and, to be quite frank, I notice they get bored with the old “our ancestors died for our right to vote” speech. Therefore, I apply a different approach, such as asking them who is Mike Easley, Marc Basnight, Jim Black, Jeannie Lucas, Mickey Michaux, William “Bill” Bell or Beverley Purdue. To my surprise their faces coil with puzzlement. Locally, these are the giants of N.C. state government. Unfortunately, few people could pick these individuals out of a criminal line-up. However, the 2006 fall elections are filled with
10
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
A PA R T M E N T S FOR RENT Walk to NCCU’s campus 1412 & 1424 Wabash Street. 2 bedroom apartments. Central air/heat. New paint/ new appliances. $99 first month rent + low deposit. $450/mo (919) 539-5105
Re-elect Judge Ann McKown I have known and respected Ann McKown as long as she has been practicing here in Durham. She has been a District Court Judge since 1998 and has served with distinction since then. District Court judges are the “face” of the judicial system. Ann has earned a reputation as one who listens closely, is patient with those in her court, considers the evidence dispassionately and applies both her knowledge of the law and her common wisdom to her decisions. Ann is the kind of District Court judge we need! — Ed Embree, Moore & Van Allen She’s honest. She’s judicious. I urge you to vote to re-elect her! — Eric Michaux Ann McKown is fair, unbiased, and smart. She works hard. She gives prompt, accurate decisions that are regularly affirmed when appealed. Judges around the State respect her so much that she’s been put on the committee in charge of judicial education-a real testament. In criminal cases, she’s tough when she needs to be. But most important, she cares. She cares about our community, she cares about our future and our kids, and she cares about making the judicial system work better for all of us. There is no better candidate for this position. — Susan Freya Olive Nothing is more important in a person’s life than the welfare of his or her child. We need a judge who is willing to take the time to hear your case and give it thoughtful consideration, not a judge who is more interested in clearing the docket. Ann McKown cares about the children, and is willing to devote the time necessary to hear the full case in matters as important as custody of our children. She’s punctual, and she’s willing to stay late when needed. Family court is one of the few courts in the district court system where a decision is final and where there is no right to a new trial. Ann is an experienced family court judge who takes these matters seriously and understands that her decisions have lifelong impact. We need her to keep her on the bench! — Joanne Foil She’s fair. She’s unbiased. Vote to re-elect Judge Ann McKown! — Charles Becton Paid for by The Committee to Re-elect Judge Ann McKown Wendy McCorkle, Treasurer, P.O. Box 25506, Durham, North Carolina 27702"
Homecoming
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
N Letter from the SGA to you
O R T H
C
A R O L I N A
C
E N T R A L
UN
IVERSITY
THE ‘KING OF THE SOUTH’ IS COMING
Homecoming Events 2006-2007
Greetings Eagle Family, The North Carolina Central University Student Government Association is thoroughly excited about homecoming 2006. To make this “Family Affair” the greatest celebration N.C. Central University has ever President experiMukhtar enced, the SGA, the Raqib PanHellenic Council, The University Lyceum Committee, the Student Activities Board and the Division of Student Affairs have developed ways to increase student involvement. Homecoming events will include comedy shows, lyceums, concerts, talent shows, step shows, the Unity Fair, Choir Ball / Eagle Idol Talent Show as well as the BET Black College Tour and the JET Magazine’s 6th annual HBCU College Tour. Homecoming 2006 is a time for our entire Eagle Family to enjoy. To accomplish our goal we are devoted to building a strong spirit of Eagle pride and morale at NCCU. We encourage every alumni, student, faculty, staff and administrator to support and attend our homecoming. Homecoming 2006 can only be a success with your support! In Unity and Progress, Mukhtar Raqib SGA President, NCCU
11
Date
Event
Time/Location
Sat.. ~ 10/28
Pre Hollow Scream Party - Backyard Band
11 p.m.-5 a.m. McDougald
TICKET
Sun. ~ 10/29
Coronation - “A Night in Heaven”
5 p.m.-10 p.m. B.N. Duke
FREE
Mon. ~ 10/30
University Service Project
10 a.m.-12 p.m. George Street
FREE
Mon. ~ 10/30
Choir Ball & Eagle Idol
6 p.m.-8 p.m. 9 p.m.-10 p.m. B.N. Duke
TICKET
Tue. ~ 10/31
Unity Fest 2006
10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. George Street
FREE
Mon. ~ 10/31
Lyceum - BET’s Cousin Jeff
7:30 p.m.-10 p.m. McDougald
TICKET
Wed. ~ 11/1
Student Appreciation Day
4 p.m.-6 p.m. George Street
FREE
Wed. ~ 11/1
Triple Threat Fashion Show: Team Paradyce, Bon Vivant, Evalesco
8 p.m.-10:30 p.m. McDougald
TICKET
Thur. ~ 11/2
Our time to Shine
10:40 a.m.-1 p.m. George Street
FREE
Thur. ~ 11/2
Comedy Show - Featuring Arnez J. & Coco Brown, Rob Stapleton
8 p.m.- 10:30 p.m. McDougald
TICKET
Fri. ~ 11/3
University Pep Rally
4:15 p.m.-5 p.m. George Street
FREE
Fri. ~ 11/3
Pan-Hellenic Step Show
8 p.m.- 10:30 p.m. McDougald
TICKET
Sat. ~ 11/4
Homecoming Game NCCU vs. Johnson C. Smith University
12 p.m. Riddick-O’Kelly
FREE
Sat. ~ 11/4
Homecoming Concert - T.I., Youngbloodz & Raheem Devaugh
8 p.m.-10 p.m. McDougald
TICKET
Free/Ticket
SGA’s Green Team hard at work for homecoming BY GEOFFREY COOPER ECHO STAFF WRITER
Clifford Joseph Harris Jr, otherwise known as T.I., will be the main performer during the Homecoming concert Nov. 4 at McDougald Gym starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale for $20 for students and $25 for the general public. COURTESY ATLANTIC RECORDS
Daily Themes Monday, 10/30: Community Day Tuesday, 10/31: Represent Your Organization Day Wednesday, 11/1: Maroon and Gray Day Thursday, 11/02: I Stay Fly Day Friday, 11/03: Eagle Pride Day
While N.C. Central University’s football team has been on the field with an 8-0 record, another team of students has been hitting the streets to spread the word about this year’s NCCU homecoming. Composed of 15 students and called The Green Team, this newly created unit of the SGA has hit the ground running to fulfill their primary goal: promote the NCCU homecoming. “I think we’ve been very effective,” said Kent Williams Jr. a political science and business administration major who also acts
as speaker pro tempore for SGA.
The Green Team wants to guarantee that students are well informed about this year’s homecoming events, and are using flyers, radio spots, performances, and facebook bulletins to do it. The Green team has even visited many neighboring universities to let students on other campuses know about NCCU’s homecoming “I think that the students are tired of seeing and getting flyers,” said Williams. “This shows how serious we are about homecoming, and how hard SGA as a whole has been working up to this point.”
Lo
F
F
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Have your party at the F Hottest Restaurant F & Club in Durham! F • Late Night Parties • Private Rooms • Dinner Parties • Catering Serving Baby Back Ribs,Steak, Seafood,Chicken Wings,and More!
Call 919-491-6526 Ask for J.D. At South Square, next to Boston Market and Chuck E. Cheese, Durham, NC
F
F
Steak, Seafood & Pasta
FF
Book Your Holiday Party Off Premise Catering
F
F
Private Room for All Occasions
No charge for NCCU personnel and students 919 949 9138 or 919 489 2848 ~ Ask for Non. Located in front of Super Target, at South Square Durham, NC
Feature
12 N
O R TH
C
A R O L I N A
C
E N TR AL
UN
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
IV E RS ITY
Left: Roderick Smith opens one of the many cans of corned beef hash needed to feed homeless people depending on a morning meal. Right: With a limited amount of sup plies, volunteers have to ration toast to ensure that everyone is served.
merica has always been known as the the land of opportunity. History has shown that America has forgotten about taking care of the homeland first. Consider the level of federal spending on Iraq and Afghanistan vs. the New Orleans recovery. Each month about $5.6 billion is spent on these wars. Meanwhile, the distressed people of America have lost hope. America has a problem: She tries to clean up the mess across the sea, while leaving her own citizens hungry and suffering. As a result, volunteers at non-profit organizations like Urban Ministries have to pitch in to find and prepare food for Durham’s homeless. Each volunteer shows that ...
A
... “I AM MY BROTHERS KEEPER” Photo essay by Roderick Heath
Above: None of Durham’s wealth can be seen at the Urban Ministries dining hall, which at this breakfast is feeding more than 150 hungry people downtown.
Above: Some find putting their pride aside difficult when they depend on community assistance to feed themselves or their families.
Above: A small cup of juice comes with the meal at the United Ministries.
A&E
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
N
O R TH
C
A R O L I N A
C
E N TR A L
13 UN
IVER SITY
Poverty to power 12345 1234 123 12
T R A S H
BeatNam Vets The R Album BeatNam Vets Production LLC out of on the 4 5 black hand side
The revolution has finally arrived! From a hip-hop state of mind, anyway. The Beatnam Vets have released their debut, “the ‘R’ album,” and if you have been looking for another “real” hip-hop album to add to your collection, this is definitely one. This album features coproducer King Solomon as the lead MC, poetic interludes performed by Kai Christopher, and an interview with Black Panther Abu Bakar that everybody and their momma needs to LISTEN to. Bakar discusses the fact
A.J. and Free Hits Tigger Jackie Reid Tiffany that there has been very little change between the time of the Black Panther Party and now. It also contains “To My Sistas,” featuring Brotha Wes, a brief homage to all of our successful, iconic women of color past, present and future. All this, laid down over a foundation of blazin’ tracks produced by none other than N.C. Central University’s own, Beatnam Vets. “The ‘R’ album” is exactly what the title states. Raging with great rule of the faulty reality of this socalled hip-hop, giving you the rebirth of what this great music is supposed to be. This album will definitely turn heads and open ears. Those who really know what hip-hop is will greatly appreciate “the R album.” You can find “the ‘R’ album” at www.cdbaby.com/beatnam, or e-mail Beatnam_vets@yahoo.com. — Kwesi Wallace
What’s going on? Oh where, oh where, has the campus life gone? Looking back at the time I’ve spent at Central, I’ve come to realize that my favorite thing about the yard is -- or was -- campus life. My freshman year, 10:40 break was a midmorning party, and chicken Wednesday was a fresh, fly, and flashy occasion JOANNA that you had to HERNANDEZ attend. That year, students attended homecoming festivities in mass; every event seemed to have a great turnout. It was as if everywhere you went, students represented. But now, eagles, we are looking extinct. The yard looks so lifeless to me that at times it bothers me to see a place that
used to be so vibrant and lively look so boring and dull. I miss the student comraderie, spirit and most definitely I miss the student participation. Come on, eagles, with homecoming approaching, we all need to get it together. It’s time to pull some spirit
and pride out our derrieres. Attend the homecoming events! As many of you who can, just make sure you show your university some love. More importantly, enjoy yourself, get your friends together and have a good time.
Freshmen: where you at? I mean, I see you but I’m not NCC-ing you. Sophomores: don’t be forgotten. Don’t get slept on. Juniors: show us what you got, ’cause you’re not quite there yet. And to my beloved class of ’07: I know we are all busy, but let’s take the time to show them how it’s done one last time. Then, maybe homecoming will be the jumpstart the campus needs to come back to life.
BET’s Ultimate Hustler Dashawn Taylor mingles with students at his book signing in the Follett bookstore Friday. JOANNA HERNANDEZ/Echo Staff Photographer
BY JANERA FEDRICK ECHO STAFF WRITER
Dashawn Taylor, BET’s Ultimate Hustler, visited N.C Central University’s campus on Oct.19 and 20 as part of a promotional campaign for his book “From Poverty to Power Moves.” Taylor’s book is an in-depth look at his life as an entrepreneur. He takes us on a journey through his battle with poverty and discouragement to educational excellence and aspirations. Taylor hopes that students will be inspired after reading his book. He wants students to know “that they are as powerful as anyone out there. “As we grow up, we get scared, but this shows people that we are the new generation and that we make the world go around and that we are making moves,” said Taylor.
“The hardest part was just opening up and talking about certain things that were sacred and secret to me.” Taylor said. “I wanted to cut out a lot of stuff. But I felt that by leaving those things in that were intimate to me, those readers could peep that my life ain’t been all roses. I had to walk through some dirt in order to get where I am at right now.” On the 19th, Taylor was interviewed by AudioNet and met students who work there. He also attended 10:40 break before stopping by 9th Wonder and Chris “Play” Martin’s class, “Hip Hop in Context.” On the 20th, Taylor held a book signing at the NCCU Bookstore. AudioNet, along with mass communication junior Erica “Lyme Lyte” Scott, hosted the event, which lasted from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. There, Taylor was interviewed by Tim Bowden from Status Quo magazine.
Taylor said he enjoyed his visit to NCCU. “I love the southern hospitality. People down here are more open. They got a unique style and flava they bring to the table. Up north, cats get real cold with you, but it’s like at Central, it’s been mad love since I stepped in the building,” said Taylor. He plans to return to NCCU to promote the release of his second book. In 2000, Taylor, along with his business partner Kyle “New” Newsome founded Real-hiphop.com, an online magazine. In its first three years, Realhiphop.com reached 3 million users. Now it reaches more than 10 million international users. A print version of the magazine was created in 2004. Taylor also is founder of Ultimate Media Design Studio, a print company based in his home state of New Jersey.
The NCCU chronicles BET’s Jeff Johnson scheduled to speak during homecoming BY ALIECE MCNAIR ECHO STAFF WRITER
The time to change society is now, and change starts locally. Being a laidback black American youth stops with Jeff Johnson. “Everything is community-based,” Johnson said. “You can’t have a national movement without COUSIN local movements first.” Johnson is the host JEFF and producer of BET’s The Cousin Jeff Chronicles. He will speak at a lyceum at N.C. Central University on October 31 at McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium. Topics to be discussed at the event include violence, drugs, gangs and the poor condition of public schools. “Even though it’s not your fault that some of these things exist, it’s still your responsibility to make the changes,” Johnson said.
Dr. Sheila Allison
Cousin Jeff, as he is known, has three children and is owner of Truth is Power. He has appeared on BET’s Rap City, 106 & Park and Access Granted. A former youth pastor for the AME Church in Baltimore, Johnson wants to utilize the gospel to empower young African-Americans. “My ministry is what I do,” said Johnson. Megan Milton, a criminal justice junior, said she occasionally watches The Cousin Jeff Chronicles. “It’s very informative,” she said. “People need to know what’s going on.” Johnson knows that the discussions he holds make an impact, but his concern is how the audience uses that impact. Johnson says he uses his words to help make a change. Author and professor Dr. Michael Eric Dyson said, “Jeff is imaginative in his commitment and devotion to extending into the hip-hop generation the marvelous and matchless genius of our forefathers.”
• general gynecology • abnormal PAPs • emergency contraception • pediatric & adolescent gynecology • emergency contraception • menstrual irregularities
Accepting new patients. Evening hours. 6216 Fayetteville Road, Suite 105 Durham, N.C. 27713 919.405.7000 Fax: 919.405.7006
“It’s always young people that are guided by the older people,” said Johnson. Johnson feels that the youth will lead the next social movement, mainly of young blacks who don’t have a title or position, but who are so frustrated that they will not wait on someone else to act. “His [Johnson’s] coming to NCCU will be good because a lot of people are going to have something to say at this discussion,” said Toney Moss, a computer science freshman. In addition to hosting his own show, as an international correspondent for BET, Johnson helps inform African-Americans on the African diaspora. He meets African representatives for information about dispersed African people and cultures. Johnson also speaks at colleges and universities as a social activist, and is working on a book. Johnson is a busy man, but there is a reason for it all. “My average day is purposeful insanity,” Johnson says.
Free Games Free Food Free Prizes Free Grace Next Game Night: Tues., Oct. 31st ~ 7-9 p.m. Student Union Game Room Halloween & Reformation Day Next Bi-Weekly Student Gathering: Sun., Nov. 5th ~ 5:30 p.m. Room 104 in the Student Union Includes faith, food,& fellowship Sunday Worship: 11 a.m every week The Church of the Abiding Savior 1625 S. Alston Ave.
Vicar Ben Krey Lutheran Campus Minister at NCCU “Yes! I am a Christian! All Lutherans are!”
If you see me in the cafeteria or in the gym or wherever, say hello! I’ll be happy to talk with you!
Evangelical Lutheran Fellowship 919-698-3648 campusminister@abiding-savior-lutheran.org www.abiding-savior-lutheran.org/campusministry.html
14
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
Classifieds
10% Discount on Regular Menu Items w/ Student ID
NY Cosmos Pizza
110 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC ~ in Phoenix Crossing Tuesday - Saturday 11 am - 10 pm (9 pm Monday) / Closed Sunday
919-680-8900 Pizza
10” 12” 14”
Cheese Ea. Add. Topping
$4.99 6.99 9.99 .75 .95 1.25
Furnished Apartment One Block from NCCU
Church Pianist needed.
2 Bedroom, Washer/Dryer, C/A
Four Sundays a month for a small rural church 30 miles from campus.
$495 per month + deposit
Transportation provided if needed.
Call: 212-0082
Call 919-357-5177
You wouldn’t wait until the night before to practice for the big game . . .
Toppings Pepperoni • Sausage • Beef • Ham • Mushrooms • Green Pepper • Onion • Bacon • Black Olives • Pineapple
Campus Echo classifieds To place 2” x 2” classified ad in the NCCU Campus Echo costs just $10 per issue. We provide a 20% discount if you place your ad for an entire semester.
919-530-7116
NCCU WRITING STUDIO Appointments and Walk-Ins Welcome Monday - Thursday from 9 am - 5 pm Friday 9 am - 2 pm
Two 8” Subs Two Small Pizzas Two canned drinks Each w/ 1 items Two chips $10.95 $9.99
Medium Pizza w/ two toppings 10 count wings $12.95
Room 339 Farrison-Newton Communications Building
Specials
So why wait until the last minute to start your paper?
530-7554 writingcentergrad@nccu.edu Director Dr. Karen Keaton Jackson
Limited time offer. Cannot be combined with any other specials.
Free Delivery to NCCU
($10 minimum. Major credit cards accepted. Sorry, no checks.)
Great Employment Opportunity for a Student Level 1 Quality Management Specialist: 15 to 20 per weekworking in the Quality Management Department of The Durham Center. Salary $10 to $12 per hour. • Review QI Plans & Reports • Provide Technical Assistance • Compile & Analyze Data • Report Trends • Attend community provider meetings A bachelors degree in social work, sociology or psychology is preferred - relevant work experience in mental health, substance abuse or developmental disabilities is acceptable. Strong writing skills and an understanding of Microsoft Office applications is desired. E-mail your resume and cover letter to: phyman@co.durham.nc.us or mail to: The Durham Center, 501 Willard St., Durham, NC, Attention: Quality Management Department by October 31, 2006.
Please Recycle
No Pork Products Served
• • • • • • • • •
Specialty Pizzas Subs Stromboli Gyros Buffalo Wings Calzones Fresh Salads Pastas Bread & Cheese Sticks
Durham Church of Christ 909 Camden Avenue Durham, NC 27705 Phone: 919-956-7687-Office Email: jerrypence@rocketmail.com Service Times Sunday Morning Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. Sunday Evening Worship 6:00 p.m. Wednesday Evening Bible Study 7:00 p.m. www.durhamchurchofchrist.org
Sports
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
Staying on track
15
When in doubt, run 4-YARD RUN SENDS EAGLES TO EIGHTH WIN IN LANGSTON U.
Baseball back after 30-year hiatus
Women take CIAA title, again BY SHATOYA CANTRELL
BY LARISHA J. STONE
ECHO STAFF WRITER
Who said N.C. Central University athletics could not win another conference championship? The Lady Eagles cross country team placed five of the top six runners to repeat as the CIAA Women’s Cross Country Champions on October 19 at SAS Park in Cary. Ashley Cooke, Aisha Brown, Yolanda Barber, LaTanya Lesine, Erinn Brooks and Desinia Johnson claimed all-conference honors by finishing in the Top 10. Cooke was the only Lady Eagle to win the individual conference crown, with a time of 19:28.68 on the 5k course. Brown finished in second place with a time of 19:41.73. Barber was third with a time of 20:01.35, Lesine finished in fifth place with a time of 20:35.20, Brooks finished in sixth place with a time of 20:43.11 and Johnson finished in eighth place with a time of 21:09.70. Sophomore Lakisha Gantt finished one spot from all-conference honors in 11th place with a time of 21:40.61. The NCCU men’s cross country team placed fourth in the CIAA Championships. Sophomore Gerald Jones finished eighth with a time of 27:57.27 and junior Robert Curington finished in ninth place at 28:31.33 on the 8k course. Both runners earned AllCIAA honors. Both NCCU teams will travel to Wingate on November 4 to compete in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championships.
Sliding on home
ECHO SPORTS EDITOR
Eagle running back Greg Pruitt (center) gets another shot at holding the skin while the Lions of Langston University sit hot on his trail. CHRISTOPHER WOOTEN/Deputy Photo Editor
BY QUENTIN GARDNER ECHO SPORTS REPORTER
The Eagles football team rolled over Langston University Saturday, Oct. 21 at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium to continue their undefeated streak (8-0 overall, 5-0 CIAA). N.C. Central University was behind for the first time since they trailed 10-7 against Lenoir Rhyne College on NCCU 31 Sept. 9. “That’s a LU 21 good football team, but our guys found a way to play well enough to win,” said NCCU coach Rod Broadway. The Eagles’ offense quickly got on track to make sure the lead stayed in its favor. Stadford Brown connected with Wayne Blackwell for a 43-yard touchdown. The score was the first of the season for Blackwell, who
ended the game with five receptions for 85 yards. Brandon Gilbert’s extra point gave NCCU an early 70 lead, with 12:49 remaining in the first quarter. “Langston played tough, but we beat ourselves a lot today,” Brown said. “I made a few bad reads and threw some passes I shouldn’t have, but the offensive line did a great job again today.” The Lions marched down the field 83 yards on nine plays behind senior quarterback Kendrick Dozier. Dozier’s 4-yard pass to Jimmy Early tied the game at 7-7. The Eagles’ defense limited Dozier to 196 yards passing and 22 yards rushing. Lions running back Jimmy Scales scored on a 1yard touchdown run, following a Julius McClellan fumble. Kicker Trint Rust gave the Lions a 14-7 advantage with 1:01 left in the opening quarter. Jeff Toliver scored
on a 21-yard run, which tied the game at 14-14. With 8:56 left in the 2nd quarter, Brandon Gilbert connected on a 46-yard field goal to put the Eagles on top 17-14. Brown passed to Kenneth Broadway for a 9yard touchdown with less than three minutes left in the first half. The Eagles settled with a 24-14 halftime lead. The defense came away with two interceptions by Andre George and Craig Amos respectively –– the first of the season thrown by Dozier. “It feels great to beat a team as good as Langston,” said Amos. “I didn’t know he hadn’t been intercepted before. We just like to get picks, no matter who gets them.” In the final quarter, Brown passed to Daunte Fields, who made his first 34-yard touchdown pass of the season. Gilbert’s extra
point gave NCCU a 31-14 lead. Dozier would later score on a 4-yard touchdown run, making the final score 31-21. Naim Abdul-Malik amassed 10 tackles and one sack. “They’re a good team and they played hard,” said Abdul-Malik. “Dozier was slippery and hard to handle; it was a slugfest. We’re just happy to be 8-0.” Amos ended the contest with his sixth intercepted pass, a blocked field goal, five tackles and three pass breakups. NCCU heads to Salisbury, NC to take on Livingstone College at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Eagles will have a chance to clinch the CIAA’s Western Division title for the second straight year and become the first team in college history to start a season 9-0 with a victory over Livingstone.
N.C. Central University hasn’t had a baseball team in more than 30 years. Financial restraints in the athletic department have put the baseball team out of commission until now. On February 4, 2007, the NCCU Eagles baseball team will play the Belmont Abbey Crusaders as a CIAA Division II team under the direction of Coach Henry White. “I want to be competitive,” said White. “I just want to put a good product on the field for the student body and administration.” White was head coach of the St. Augustine’s College baseball team for 21 years before coming to NCCU. He said he feels no pressure in his new job, considering the time it’s taken to reinstate the baseball team. Durham resident Louis Breeden played for the 1975 team at NCCU. He agrees that this should be a low-stress year for NCCU baseball. “Because there’s such a gap, there’s no pressure really,” said Breeden. “I’m excited about it. They have an opportunity to do what I couldn’t do.” The team consists of 14 freshmen and seven transfer students. White says it’s too early to predict how the season is going to go for the team or for individual players. “It’s going to be hard to say who our star or MVP players are because people are still getting acclimated,” he said. Breeden urged the new players to “have fun, play, and have a good time with it.”
Spike this Record Matthews gives the entire NCAA a run for its money BY SASHA VANN ECHO ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Aiming for the sky is easy when you got mad hops. Junior Shari Matthews (above) prepares to serve. BRYSON POPE/Echo Staff Photographer
Division I players don’t get nearly the accolades as some N.C. Central University athletes. Shari Matthews, for example, is a junior outside hitter on the volleyball team, a first-year Eagle, and a jaw-dropping athlete. She broke the record for kills in a match at NCCU (42) and for most kills in a single season (769). In the NCAA Division I, II and III, she ranks second in kills. Think she planned it? Nah.
“It feels kind of unreal because I didn’t plan it,” said Matthews. “I just play because it’s a team sport. Breaking records and winning is an incentive.” The women’s volleyball team is 13-0 in the CIAA, 2512 overall. Matthews contributes to her team in many ways. “She really knows the game,” said sophomore setter Ashley Shade. “I’m better just based on her being on the court and her overall attitude.” Considering her talents,
most would expect Matthews to be arrogant about her accomplishments. She’s just the opposite. “My team makes it easy for me to do what I do,” Matthews said. “It’s a team effort for me to achieve these records and participate in winning games.” As the Lady Eagles prepare for CIAA, it looks as if the biggest competition will be themselves. “I’m looking forward to CIAA championship, but I’m more excited about regionals,” said Nadia Hayes, a
freshman middle hitter who felt allegiance to the team before she joined. “We’ve done the CIAA [championship] thing already. I’m looking past that,” said Hayes. Coming off a loss at Wingate doesn’t deter the Lady Eagles — especially not Matthews, who looks to break the record for 1000 kills in a season. “I’m going for it, if it’s possible,” Matthews said, laughing. If you’re an Eagle, anything is possible.
Part Time
More Money for your Muscle FedEx® Ground. Thinking about some fast cash and help with college? Join the fast-paced FedEx® Ground team as a part-time Package Handler. You’ll work up a sweat. And, in return, get a Weekly Paycheck/Direct Deposit, Tuition Assistance, ConSern Education Loans, Stock Purchase Plan and Career Opportunities.
P/T PACKAGE HANDLERS Up to $9.50/hr to start. Multiple shifts available. Qualifications: • 18 years or older
• Ability to load, unload, sort packages Apply in person: Monday-Friday • 9am-4pm
2530 S. Tricenter Blvd. • Durham, NC 27713 Hwy. 147S to TW Alexander, right on TW Alexander, right on Cornwallis, left on S. Tricenter Blvd. FedEx is last building on right.
fedex.com/us/careers Women and minorities are encouraged to join the team.
F I N S - N - W I N G S 909 Fayetteville Street Durham, NC 27701 919 • 680 • 6006 All combos served with fries and drink. 1
Lunch Special 3 pieces of trout, whiting or baby flounder $4.99
2
Hot Dog Combo $3.49
3
www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com www.campusecho.com
GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, TOEFL Advance your career with a graduate degree!
$4.59
Chicken Sandwich 4
Lunch Special 3 pieces of jumbo shrimp and 2 pieces of fish or 3 pieces of shrimp and 2 wings with coleslaw $5.99
7
Cheeseburger 1/3 lb thick and tender $4.99
11
6 pieces Jumbo Shrimp $5.99
EOE/AA
Chicken Special 3 whole wings or 6 buffalo wings
Campus Echo Online
5
Fish/ Chicken Combo 2 pieces chicken strips and 2 pieces of fish or 2 wings and 2 pieces of fish $6.75
6
$5.49
9
Gyro Special Beef Gyro sandwich and yogurt sauce $5.99
8
Sub Special Philly steak or Philly chicken or fish supreme or cheeseburger sub $5.99 Hours Mon.-Thur 11-10 Fri-Sat 11- 11
3 pieces Chicken Strips 10 $5.99
Delivery Minimum order $10 $1 gas surcharge for Duke and NCCU
Attend PrepSuccess™ exam prep courses during the evenings or weekends throughout the Triangle, or access the live web cast or streaming video recordings. One low price of $420 $699 gets you 36 - 60 hours of classroom instruction plus FREE tutoring and mentoring after each class. We also offer tutoring services in trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, physics, and differential equations.
Visit www.PrepSuccess.com or call 919-791-0810
Opinions
16 N
L
C
A R O L I N A
alking across campus, I often witness illegal substances being consumed. I am frustrated not by the drugs, but by the number of people tangled up in the judicial system due to politics and law. Black America must understand what is truly going on in the judicial system with respect to illegal substances, from the police to the courts to Kai the prison sysChristopher tem. It is more likely for a black man to be incarcerated than be in college. According to a 2003 Congressional Research Service white paper, 33 percent of black men will enter the prison system in their lifetimes, and that number is expected to grow. Some say the system targets black men and I agree. According to the Federal Household Survey of 1998, about 72 percent of all illegal substance
W
E N TR A L
UN
IVER SITY
users in America were white, compared to 15 percent who were black. Yet blacks constituted 37 percent of arrests, more than 42 percent of those in federal prisons and almost 58 percent of those in state prisons for drug felonies. This means that a minority of the users are serving a majority of the time. This racial disparity is magnified by the effects of mandatory minimum sentences. The 2003 study shows that the minimum sentence for illegal drug possession for first-time offenders (78 months) is longer than the average sentences for sexual abuse (68 months), manslaughter (30 months), and assault (28 months). This implies that a man carrying five grams of an illegal substance is more dangerous to society than a rapist or murderer. That is insane. If a man breaks the law he should have to face the penalty, but his penalty should fit the crime. Is keeping drugs off the streets more serious than keeping killers and rapists off the streets? The judges are telling me that it is. In 2002, RAND think tank reported that after long-term test-
ing, the “gateway effect,” the strongest point in the case against marijuana, may not be valid. So after all these efforts to save lives, all the government did was put people in jail. In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that 19,698 deaths were caused by legal and illegal substances. The same year 19,358 deaths were caused by alcohol alone. Why is marijuana illegal, when a substance like beer, which has killed more people than marijuana, is found right next to the ice cream at Kroger? If your war against drugs is really designed to save lives, it is hypocritical to sell alcohol . Think critically about this problem. We are giving the government the knife and getting mad upon being stabbed in the back. Young Jeezy refers to drugs as the “trap.” People listen and even sing along without realizing what he is trying to tell them. Government agents are out looking for someone to lock up, and students who go to class with the scent in their clothes give them the perfect opportunity.
Flavor of no love he reality show, “Flavor of Love” is one of the worst shows on network TV. Whose bright idea was it to give Public Enemy’s hype-man, Flavor-Flav, his own TV show? The basis of “Flavor of Love” is ABC’s reality TV show “The Bachelor”: a single, wealthy, successful, handsome man chooses a wife Khadijah from among Abdul-Wakil twenty-seven young, beautiful women. However, in “Flavor of Love,” a not so wealthy, no so attractive, former hip-hop artist is trying to find “his girl” among twenty not so respectable women. “Flavor of Love” mocks “The Bachelor” in almost every way. “The Bachelor” has rose ceremonies; “Flavor of Love” has clock ceremonies. “The Bachelor” goes to the opera; Flavor Flav treats his “ladies” to
T
N ORTH C AROLINA C ENTRAL U NIVERSITY
Campus Echo
wonderful evenings at Red Lobster and KFC. I’m not saying that “The Bachelor” is any great reflection of reality either. Every bachelor is always a successful, handsome, white male; there has not been one person of color on the show — ever — as if there are no handsome, successful, wealthy, black, Hispanic, Asian or Middle Eastern men living in America. “Flavor of Love” is a mockery of today’s successful American black men and women. It implies to America and the world that all African Americans have gold teeth, sing, curse and say “Yeah Boyee!” The women on the show represent the lowest character of black women on TV and further damage the ever more negative image of American black women. The modern black women has become the “Hottentot Venus” of today’s entertainment industry. The only difference is that the exploitation is not by a European power, but by a black power. Black Americans have more power than ever before in how they want to be viewed by others,
Campus Echo Online
“It’s your newspaper” Rony Camille - Editor-In-Chief Sasha Vann - Assistant Editor Joanna Hernandez Larisha Stone Ariel Germain Shatoya Cantrell Kai Christopher Tiffany Kelly Erica Horne Roderick Heath Christopher Wooten Khari Jackson Greg Wilson Lakela Atkinson Janera Fedrick Ihuoma Ezeh Ebony McQueen Shelbia Brown Shatoya Cantrell Ericka Holt Larisha Stone Jean Rodgers Quentin Gardner Shereka Littlejohn Lisa Mills-Hardaway Kristiana Bennett Switzon Wigfall
C
Drug awareness
Editorial et’s face it — HIV/AIDS is the largest pandemic on the planet. It is so deadly that nearly 3 million lives are lost per year. As former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa said in a lecture to N.C. Central University students on Sept. 14, “It is a silent disease that is killing millions of Africans in their homes each day.” This does not only affect those living in the motherland. It is in the Americas as well. It is a disease that does not care WHO you are. It does not matter if you go to church, praise the holy ghost, say your Hail Mary’s, eat vegetables like your mom told you to when you were a kid, exercise on a daily basis or vote republican or democrat. If you have ever been sexually active, then YOU are at risk. Of the 1.2 Million Americans living with HIV/AIDS, 47 percent are African-American. It may be true that African Americans account for only 12.3 percent of the U.S. population, but according to an Akron Beacon Journal article, black men were being diagnosed at a rate of 603.7 percent higher than that of white men in 2004. That year it was also reported that black women were at 1,993 percent higher than that of white women. It is critical that the HBCU population act on this issue. Use protection if you’re sexually active, and get tested. You have no excuse not to be tested. NCCU will be holding a rapid testing on Thursday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Alfonso Elder Student Union. It’s free, confidential and you will know your results within 20 minutes.
O R TH
Campus Echo WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006
A & E Editor Assistant A & E Editor Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Opinions Editor Online Editor Assistant Online Editor Photography Editor Deputy Photography Editor Staff Photographer Chief Copy Editor Copy Editor Production/Design Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Sports Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Cartoonist
Faculty Adviser - Dr. Bruce dePyssler Alumni Advisers Mike Williams, Sheena Johnson, & Carolyn McGill
Letters & Editorials The Echo welcomes letters and editorials. Letters to the editor should be less than 350 words. Editorials should be about 575 words. Include contact information. The Echo reserves the right to edit contributions for clarity, vulgarity, typos and miscellaneous grammatical gaffs. Opinions published in the Echo do not necessarily reflect those of the Echo editorial staff. E-mail: CampusEcho@nccu.edu Web address: www.campusecho.com Phone: 919 530 7116 Fax: 919 530 7991 Fall 2006 Publication dates: 9/6, 9/20, 10/11, 10/25, 11/8, 12/6 Spring 2007 Publication dates: 1/17, 1/31, 2/21, 3/7, 4/4, 4/18 © NCCU Campus Echo/All rights reserved Room 348, Farrison-Newton Communications Bldg. NCCU, Durham, NC 27707
campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com c a m p u s e c ho . c o m campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com c a m pu s e c h o . c o m campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com c a m p u s e c h o. c o m campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com campusecho.com
yet we choose to create, fund and watch shows that mock our minds, bodies, wealth and character. Finally, I know educated black students at N.C. Central University who watch “Flavor of Love” knowing that it degrades black America — especially black women — yet still find it a guilty pleasure worth watching. I’m not upset with the producers of the show or the owners of VH1; I’m not even upset with Flavor Flav and his long line of low-class, cursing, spitting, and cat-fighting women. I’m upset at black people who waste their time watching and laughing; at the sight of Tiffany a.k.a “New York,” fighting and spiting at the other women, all the while trying to win the eye of Flavor Flav. So, the next time a tourist from Japan comes up to you and your girlfriend and asks for a lapdance and says “Yeah Boyee!” don’t get upset and try to save your girl’s honor. Save the punch for yourself because you know you saw that episode too.
drawing by Rashaun Rucker
Question: “Do you feel that he or she can truly find love on TV ?”
“I’m not saying that it’s not possible to find love on TV, but I believe it’s a very slim chance. Most just want to be on TV anyway.” — Marrin Hill
“Yes, I believe it’s possible to find love on TV sometimes. People know at first glance that they’re supposed to be with someone. ” — Parrish Miminger “No, you should not fall in love on TV. They have become infatuated with the star on the show.” — Tueciana Lesesne